Christmas-tree stand.



G. W. EVERTS.

CHRMSTMASTREE STAND.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2. 1915.

Patented Apr. 10; 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. w. EVER TS.

CHRISTMAS TREE STAND. APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, I915.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/ 7/YE5.5 E$ a /M a W W KZ TIN TATEJ T CFFICE.

GEORGE W. EVERTS, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, lVIINNESO'IA.

CHRISTMAS-TREE STAND.

Application filed April 2, 1815.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Gnonon W. Evnnrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Christmas- Tree Stands; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, cheap and highly eflicient Christmas tree stand, and to such ends, gen erally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined. in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view chiefly in side elevation with some parts sectioned and some parts broken away, showing the preferred form of the improved stand applied to a Christmas tree; i

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail in section on the line :0 00 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing the stand folded up for shipment or storage;

Fig. 5 is a plan view with some parts sectioned, showing the stand folded as illustrated in Fig. l; I

Fig. 61s a transverse sectlon taken on the, line ar w on Flg. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation with some parts broken away andsome parts sectioned,

showing a somewhat modified form of the stand applied to a Christmas tree;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation showing the stand illustrated in Fig. 7 folded up for shipment or storage;

Fig. 9 is a plan view with some parts broken away, showing the stand folded, as illustrated in Fig. 8; Y

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view partly in plan and partly in elevation showing the up per portion of the stand folded as illustrated in Fig- 9; and

Fig. 11 is a detail in section illustrating a modified connection between one of the legs of the stand illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, and one of the brace rods.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. Ill), 1917.

Serial No. 18,737.

The improved-stand is especially adapted for supporting a Christmas tree but may be used to support other objects such as poles or posts. In the drawings, the trunk of the Christmas tree is indicated by the character A. The stand is preferably in the form of a tripod comprising a tripod head, three legs and three brace rods. The tripod head 1 is stamped from a single plate of sheet metal, preferably of sheet steel, is formed with an axial perforation 2 and with three down-turned flanges that are outwardly extended to form three channelshaped arms 8 to which the legs are pivotally connected. This tripod head might take other forms but the form illustrated is believed to be the cheapest and best. In the preferred form of the device the three legs 4 of the tripod are channel-shaped and are pressed into form from sheet steel and are of such width that they fit between the flanges of the respective channel-shaped legs 3, and they are pivotally connected thereto, preferably by loose rivets 5. At their intermediate portions, the webs of the legs 4 are formed with downwardly pressed ears 6 having perforations 7 and 8. Just inward of the said ears 6, the webs of the legs 4 are provided with perforations 9. At their free ends, the webs of the legs 4 are curved downward, as indicated at 10, for a purpose which will presently appear. I

. The tripod head 1 is adapted to be securely attached to the base end of the tree trunk, by means of a screw such as an ordinary screw eye 11 which is passed through the axial perforation 2 thereof, and is screwed into the tree trunk with its head below the plate of the said head.

For cooperation with each of the three legs of the tripod, there is a brace rod 12 preferably formed from heavy steel wire obliquely cut at its ends to form sharp points or barbs that project longitudinally from the ends of the said rods.

In applying the brace rods to support the tree trunk: from the legs, one pointed end of each rod is passed through the perforation 9 of the cooperating leg and is inserted into and part way through the perforation 8 at the lip 6; and the sharp upper ends of the said rods thus applied, are forced into the tree trunk, substantially as shown in 1. The weight of the tree, as is ob vious, then serves to hold the ends of the brace rods engaged, as above described, and

the tree trunk will be firmly held in an upright position with the entire weight of the tree exerted to maintain such engagement. When the ends of the brace rods enter the tree trunk, they produce a clamping or binding action which securely holds the legs in position as long as the said rods remain attached to the tree trunk. Furthermore, the sharp points of the brace rods, projecting as they do, axially of the rods, will be forced into the tree by the weight of the same and firmly secured in position, even though their initial engagement with the tree trunk may be very slight.

When the tripod head is detached from the tree trunk, the legs are adapted to be turned downward or folded together in parallel arrangement with their channeled edges assembled so as to form a complete casing, as illus trated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The brace rods 12 are of slightly less length than the legs 4, and they are adapted to be inserted, one through each perforation 7 of the lip6 of a leg 4. This insertion of the rods 12 into the said perforations 7, and the removal there from, can be accomplished only while the said legs are spread or opened out, so as to permit the said rods to be moved past the pivoted end portions thereof. When the said rods are thus inserted into the perforations of the respective lips 6 and the legs are folded together, they are completely caged, being held against lateral movements by the said lips 6, and against endwise movements, at the one end, by the head 1 and at their other ends by the flanges 10 at the free ends of the arms 4. To hold the screw eye 11 against displacement, one of the rods 12 can be passed through the same, as shown in Fig. 5, and when the arms are folded together, it will also be caged within the same. The arms 4, at their free ends, have perforations 13 through which a wire 14 may be passed and then twisted together, so as to hold the complete stand in a folded condition with all of its parts forming part of a single parcel. This is very important for the purpose of shipment and storage.

The tree stand illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, as preferably constructed, involves the same tripod head 1, screw eye 11, and brace rods 12, that have been above described, but the legs 15 are wooden bars pivotally connected to the flanged ends of the said tripod head, by rivets 5 In this arrangement, the legs 15 are provided with one or more rods, seats or perforations 16 into which the lowersliarp ends of the brace rods 12 are inserted, but the upper ends of the said brace rods are inserted into the tree trunk in a manner already described. At their free ends, the wooden legs 15 are shown as provided with perforations 15 through which the wire 14 is passed, and which, while its ends are twisted together, hold the three legs in parallel folded positions with the triangular space between them, into which therods 12 and screw eye are adapted to be inserted. When the said legs are folded, as stated, the triangular channel between the same will be closed at one end by a tripod head 1, and to close the other end of the said channel, I preferably employ a light metal clip 17 (see Figs. 8 and 9) of U-shape form having a projecting triangular flange 18. The prongs of the clips 17 are arranged to embrace the free end of one leg 15, and has perforations through which the wire 14 is adapted to be passed to secure the said clip to the said leg. When the said clip is thus applied, its triangular flange 18 will close that end of the triangular channel between the three folded legs. As shown in Fig. 10, a plug or stopper 19 is placed against the inner face of the tripod head 1, to close the axial perforation thereof, and thus prevent the rods from falling out through the said perforation.

Fig. 11 illustrates a modification in the lower end of the brace rod 12, in which the lower end of the said rod is given an angular bend to form a lateral prong 20 which is inserted through a transverse perforation in the wooden leg 15.

What I claim is:

1. A Christmas tree stand comprising a head having means for securing it to the base of a tree trunk or the like, legs pivoted to said head for foldingmovements in planes radiating from a line that intersects'said head at a right angle, and brace rods anchored to said. legs at their lower ends and provided with axially projecting sharp upper ends adapted to be forced into the treedtrunk by the weight of the load on said hea 2. A Christmas'tree stand comprising a head having means for securing it to the base of a tree or the like, legs pivoted to said head for folding movements in planes radiating from a line that intersects said head at a right angle, and brace rods detachably seated at their lower ends in the intermediate portions of said legs and provided with sharp axially projecting upper ends adapted to be forced into the trunk of a tree by the weight of the load on said head.

3. A Christmas tree stand comprising a head having means for securing it to the base of a tree trunk or the like, legs pivoted to said head for folding movements in planes radiating from a line that intersects said head at a right angle, brace rods anchored to said legs at their lower ends and provided with axially projecting sharp upper ends adapted to be forced into the tree trunk by the weight of the load on said head, the said legs being arranged to fold together to form an inclosed casing for the said brace rods,

when the latter are detached, the said head closing one end of said casing, and means at the free ends of said legs for closing the other end of said casing.

4:. A tree stand comprising a head having means for attaching it to the base of a tree trunk, channel-shaped metal legs pivoted to said head for folding movements in planes radiating from a line intersecting the central portion of said head at a right angle, the said legs having down-pressed perforated ears and perforations adjacent thereto, and brace rods adapted to be inserted at their lower ends through the perforations of said legs and into the perforated ears thereof, the said rods at their upper ends having sharp points adapted to be forced into the said tree trunk.

5. A tree stand comprising a head having means for attaching it to the base of a tree trunk, channel-shaped metal legs pivoted to said head for folding movements in planes radiating from a line intersecting the central portion of said head at a right angle, the said legs having down pressed perforated ears and perforations adjacent thereto, and brace rods adapted to be inserted at their lower ends through the perforations of said legs and into the perforated ears thereof, the said rods at their upper ends having sharp points adapted to be forced into the said tree trunk, the said legs at their free ends having stop flanges, and the said ears thereof hav ing perforations through Which the said brace rods are adapted to be passed, whereby the said brace rods may be secured within said legs when said legs are folded together.

In testimony whereof I affix my. signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. EVERTS. Witnesses HARRY D. KILGoRE, F. D. MRCHANT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

